Automobile trailer



June 1', 1937. CONKEY' 2,082,273

.AUTOMOBILE TRAILER 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1933- I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 I malfreu June 1, 1937, A. L. CONKEY AUTOMOBILE TRAILER Filed Dec. 26, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 In venlor A Home y Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I au'rorr3fi mm i Q Alger L. (baker, 011M410. clllL' Application December 28, 1933, W No. 703,941

comm.

mobiles; that has a simplified and positive hitch for attachment to an automobile; that includes a body convertible into one. or more full width and length beds lengthwise of the trailer; that has a reinforced canvas top and collapsible sides and ends of canvas provided with screened windows on the front and on both sides; that has self-locking folding supports at the front and 15' the rear of the bocLvfor holding the top and the depending canvas in a raised position; that provides ample head room when the top is raised; and that provides means for holding the raised top rigidly against collapse until the folding supports are swung into their lowered position. t With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawings such instances of adaptation as willdisclose the broad underlyin features of my invention without limiting myself to the specific details shown thereon and described herein.

Figure l is a side elevation of the trailer with the top lowered ready for travel.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the trailer with the top raised and the folding bed opened. Figure 3 is a front elevation of Figure 2 with the bed closed.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the interior with the top removed.

Figure 5 is an inside elevation of the door. Figure 6 is a side elevation partly in section of the door.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the table and cabinet. Figure 8' is an] elevation of the hinged top supporting members. v {Figure} is an elevation in section of the hinge forf the folding bed. Q "e isa side elevation ofFigure 9 showing-thebed parts opened. Figurell' is an elevation similarto Figure 10 showing the bed parts closed. :Figure 12 is a side elevation of the hitch. Fig'ure 13 is a top plan view of Figure 12. Figure 14 is an elevation in section on the center line of Figure 13.

Figure15 is a top plan view in section on line li -l5 of Figure 12.

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic elevation of a two-bed trailer.

Figure 17 is a developed diagrammatic of the stabilizing cord in relation to the and front end of the trailer.

In operating my trailer I may use whatever alternative or equivalent structural expedients that the exigencies of varying conditions may demand without departing from the broad spirit of the invention.

I may use any desired form of frame or chass'is l which is supported on a pair of springs 3 thatare attached to the axle 2. Standard sized wheels I on the axle support the trailer. The body has a sloping front'36 and a sloping 15 rear 31. It encloses seats 45, and narrowside cabinet 44 and the folded bed at the front end. A two part door is placed at the rear end. To accommodate the door to the height of the top H, when raised it is made in two parts 39 and 40, the top part 39 is hinged to the lower [part at 4| so as to fold together when the top is lowered; the bottom part is hinged to the body at 42.

Thereis provided a table 5| under which a pipe-flange is secureds A similar flange 49 is on the floor 9 and a separable pipe 50 is threaded into each flangeto hold the table a little higher than the height of the cabinets 4G and .41 so that it can be swung around freely without interference while it is being attached to the upper end of the pipe. When not used as a table, it serves as a vertically, sliding door 48 to one of the cabinets 41. There may also be I provided a water tank, wash bowl, toilet and storage place for a vapor stove in the cabinets 46 and 41. when the vapor stove is used the table Si is placed crosswise of the trailer resting on a cabinet, 41 at each end. This places it across the door 39-40. Should the door be closed when the stove is used on the table the upper half of the door is swung out at its upper end to provide ventilation as shown in dotted lines on Figure 6.

view sides When the trailer ,is equipped with two beds,

Figure 16, 'one opens toward the front and the other toward the rear. In this event a door H is placed near the front and at one side.' This arrangement lengthens the trailer slightly and some of the cabinets may be eliminated. The structure of the folding beds 25 is the same whether one or two are used. It consists of a lower or floor portion 32 loosely hinged at its inner end just inside the body on pins 28 secured to brackets 21. Side members of the bed end lies on the extension 32.

it is slightly raised and brought forward a short 29 enclosing the sides and top are closely hinged on pins 26. The bed 25 is provided with a screen portion 34 and a cover 33 that may be held open by a stop 35. The mattress is rolled onto the floor 9 when the bed is closed and when it is opened the mattress lies flat and one end extends onto the trailer floor 9 and the other This gives a full length and full width bed. As stated a screened ventilator 33 is located just above the head of the sleeper. It may be closed at will and locked in any desired manner. 7

Provision is made to seal-off all the joints by flanges alongside the top and bottom edges of the bed 25, at 39 and at the side edges 29 of 29 against the ingress of dust. As the bed is being closed and when near its upper position,

distance and dropped over a cross-wise angle H, Figure 11. This seals of! the-bottom edge at 3|. The raising and lowering of the bed 25 to secure the sealing along the bottom edge is accomplished by reason of the side extension 28 of the floor member 32 of the bed having enlarged holes 39 around the hinge bolts 26 on which the bed is turned in opening or closing it.

The floor portion 32'of the bed projects out far enough to seal off the upper edge of the bed against the front end of the body when the bed is closed. The floor portion 32 is connected to the sides "and the sides are closed by a cross member which hooks over the cross member at the outer edge of the screen 34, thus holding the floor 32 away from the tongue 4.

An outstanding feature of my trailer comprises the means for raising and lowering the top l2. Near each corner of the body 8 adjacent the top edge there is pivoted a folding support made ir two parts, an upper portion I1 and a lower portion l8 of approximately the same length. The portion I1 is pivoted on the under edge at 23 of the frame of the top l2 onto which the canvas i3 for the top and sides is attached separately. These hinged supports l1 and I9 have stop pins 23 adjacent their center pivots 2| which permit the members to pass the center as the pins 23' are stopped in the slots 22 when the. top is raised so that these supports may not be accidentally moved to a lowering position. When the top is'lowered onto the upper rim l4 of the body the canvas 13, forming the sides and ends, including the side and front windows l5 drops down toward the tops of the cabinets 44,, 48 and 41 and the closed bed 23. Limit stops may be provided on the inside so as to support the windows during the time the top is closed onto thebody, thus preventing the windows scratching the furniture beneath them while the trailer is in transit. The frame of the top l2 has a reinforcing center member and transverse ribs over which the .cover is secured. When raised the canvas I3 is held taut by the supports I1 hinged to the top at 29 and the supports l9 hingedtothebodyat l9.

To stabilize the top l2 against endwise wobble on the hinged supports I1 and I3, I brace-the inside by a diagonally disposed rope or strong enough cord l6, Figsc2 and 17. This cord is secured adjacent the one edge of the rear door 39-49, on a single bed trailer, just above the rear cabinets 41. From here the cord I6 is taken upward to the underside corner edge-of the top at 52 to which it is secured; then it passes diagonally downward to the top of the right hand window it at its rear edge 52, thence diagonally aoaaavs upward to the top l2 at about midway the length of the window i5. thence diagonally downward to the top front edge of the same window at $2, thence diagonally to the front right hand corner under the top at 52, thence diagonally downward to the front window i5, and the left hand side window in the same manner, lastly being attached to the left hand rear corner of the top and finally fastened adjacent the other edge of the door above the companion cabinet 41. This cord is attached at each point mentioned to the underside edges of the top and the top edges of each window as shown in the developed view, Figure. 1'1. It stabilizes and holds the top i2 against swaying thus serving a very important purpose.

When the top I2 is lowered its flanged side edges surround the upper rim l4 of the body and the hinged supports l1 and I8 are folded against the sloping front 33 and rear end 31 of the body where they are held by separate spring clips 24. The top I2 is first raised at the rear end until the rear pair of hinged supports I1 and II are pushed past their vertical center and "locked by the pins 23, then the front end is similarly raised and locked".

The upper end 39 of the rear door which is folded downward on its hinges 4| to conform to the slope 31 of the rear 4 the door can be opened and closed in the usual manner. An open space is formed between the lower portion 49 of the doc standing vertically and the upper half 39 when folded down above a rear cross angle III as the trailer is closed. This vacant space may be occupied by a folding step that in use is placed on the ground to make it easy to enter the trailer.

When first lifting the top IE it is raised about six inches, to free the folded door 39-49, where it may be temporarily held by any raised pivoted bar which may also serve to lock the door 39-49 from the inside when the top I2 is in its raised or open position.

The front pair of parking wheels 9 are suspended under the tongue 4 by a group of pivoted links Figure 1 which, moving over a given center hold them from dropping and conversely hold them locked when lowered. The rear pair of parking wheels 6 are raised and lowered by a handle attached to a worm screw on which a nut traverses. The nut is connected to the wheel suspension by pivoted links, when both sets of wheels 5 and 9 are lowered they support the trailer against tilting fore and aft and they also facilitate moving the trailer by hand whenever found necessary.

I have devised a novel hitch at the front end of the tongue 4. This consists of two hollowhalves 59 and 39 held in place by a U-shaped member 83 that is secured to the tongue 4 on its sides by bolts 89; Therear half 69 is slidable toward the front half 39. It has a loop '5 pivoted to a projection 64 at its top. The loop 35 passes over a beveled projection 91 on the top of the forward half 89. The two hollow centers form a socket for the ball 56 forming the upper end of the hitch post 55. The attachment to the rear of an automobile with which the trailer is to be used is indicated at 53. flat end 54 on which the base 51 of the hitch It'has d post 66 is fastened. by bolts '10. This relation of parts forms a ball and socket connection susceptible of universal movement within certain practical limits, determined by the clearances 68. The connection is maintained as long as desired by reason of the loop 65 referred to having a catch 66 which hooks under a projection 6| of the forward part 59 of the hitch. To disengage the trailer it is only necessary to raise this loop 65 which instantly frees the hitch 63 from the auto, by sliding the part 60 rearward .far enough to free the ball 56. When the parts 59 and 60 are closed onto the ball 56 a clearance space 63 is left between them to allow,ior wear of the ball 66 and the engaging sockets. The part 59 has top and bottom flanges 6| and the part 60 has similar flanges 62. These flangesform channels for the U-shaped member 68. A pad lock may be secured in the projections 61, above the loop 65.

What I claim is:-

1. An automobile trailer comprising .a wheel supported body having a movable front end extension, horizontal pivots between the fioor of the body and the extension, a separately hinged floor ior the extension, sealing means-between the. extension its hinged floor and the body,

means for pivoting the floor of the extension tovthe horizontal pivots eccentrically, and means for holding the extension closed within the trailer body so that its floor is approximately parallel to the slopeof the front end of the body.

2. An automobile trailer including a wheel supported'body, a unitarytop adapted to be raised and lowered bodily, canvassides and ends, a plurality of folded supporting bars pivoted to the body and the top, limiting means on the bars for holding them in an extended position, an anti-swaying tension cord having both ends attached to the body, and means for securing the cord alternately to the top and approximately midway oi the canvas width at a plurality of points so as to stabilize the top.

3. An automobile trailer including a wheel supported body, a rear end door comprising an upper and a. lower section hinged to each other, means for pivotally attaching the lower section to the body, and means for pivotally attaching the upper section to the top when it is raised, whereby the upper door section can be swung downward on the outside of the lower sectionso as to permit lowering the top, onto the body with its canvas sides and ends draped inside of the body.

ALGER L. CONKEY. 

